Breadbox



Dec. 1, 1953 H. BARNETT ET AL BREADBOX Filed Aug. 10, 1951 LOUIS H. BARNETT HARRIS BRIN INVENTORS BY M guru/x ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1953 BREADBOX Louis H. Barnett and Harris Brin, Fort Worth, Tex., assignors to Loma Plastics, Inc., Fort Worth, Tex, a corporation of Texas Application August 10, 1951, Serial No. 241,230

3 Claims. (01. 220-4) This invention relates to bread boxes and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a box of the described class which may be quickly and conveniently assembled during its construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique hinge construction for carrying out the foregoing object.

Although the preferred form of the invention is made of molded plastic, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. The bread box shown may be made of sheet metal or any other suitable material capable of being shaped to form the parts and arrangement hereinafter described.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a bread box or the like embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is enlarged broken perspective view of the hinge construction.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the hinge illustrated. in Figure 2, and

Figure is an exploded transverse sectional view showing a preferred means of assembly.

The form of the invention shown includes a rectangular base it having integral projecting feet l i on the bottom and near the corners thereof. The bread box case it is substantially rectangular, and includes an outwardly directed shouldered flange it around its lower periphery for receiving the base it. The back l4, ends i5, and top of the core 12 are substantially rectanguiar, except that the forward upper corners of said ends are arcuate, as indicated by the numeral 32'. Small vent holes it are provided through the top it.

The forward side is of the case 12 is provided with an opening til, the upper and lower edges 28 and 22 of which are parallel with each other and are located near opposite ends of the referred to arcs ii. The vertical edges 23 and 24 of the opening 253 are positioned inwardly of the case ends as shown in Figure 1. There is an arcuate cover 25 adapted to fit inwardly of the opening 2% and. close the latter, and which cover is hingedly supported for rotation about an located along the axial center defined by the arcuate corners of the case ends 15. The hinge support referred to is comprised of bra-ckets 2% supported on the base H] near each end thereof, and which brackets are comprised of vertical supporting members 21 having out wardly directed perpendicular flanges 28 on each side thereof. Beneath the upper ends of the brackets 26 there are arcuate flanges or bearings 29 adapted to receive disk-like journals 39 which are integral with the apex ends of a triangular arm 3! integral with and perpendicular to the arcuate cover 25. It is to be understood that the cover 25 is provided with an arm 31 on each end thereof, and that the respective journals to fit between the inner surfaces of the end walls I5 and the upwardly projecting ends 32 of the brackets 28.

Other details of construction include an elongated stop 33 projecting from the outer surface of the cover 25 and near the lower edge thereof and arranged to engage the lower opening edge 22. A handle 34 may be provided on the cover 25 above the stop 33, and which handle also serves as the stop when the cover is in its raised post tion and in contact with the upper edge 2! of the case opening, 20. Projections 35 extend upwardly from the base I it near the back edge thereof so as to prevent bread or other articles within the case I2 from interfering with the operation of the cover 25.

' As shown in Figure 4, the bread box is assembled by inverting the case I 2, and placing the cover 25 therein with the disk-like journals 38 in an upward position. The base in is inverted and the arcuate bearings 29 are caused to engage the journals 3i), and the base is then cemented or otherwise bonded in place. It is pointed out that the opening 213 may be used for moving the disk-like journals 39 to the proper position to be received within the arcuate bearings 29 during the assembly operation.

The described form of the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein shown and described, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A plastic bread box or the like comprising a rectangular case having a substantially fiat bottom secured to the bottom of said case, said case including arcuate upper forward corners, an opening in said case between said upper forward corners and having the upper and lower edges thereof parallel with each other, and with the lower edges spaced from the bottom of said case, upwardly directed plastic bearings having relatively large arcuate bearing surfaces, said bearings being supported by said bottom on each side thereof interiorly of said case and equally spaced from the front edge of said base, the radial centers of said bearings being spaced at a vertical distance from said bottom substantially the same distance as said lower edge of said opening is spaced from said base, relatively large disk-like journals received within said bearing surfaces, retaining flanges integral with the inner peripheries of said arcuate bearings and extending toward the axis thereof and engaging the opposing flat peripheries of said disk-like journals, an arcuate plastic cover positioned within said opening, and substantially triangular arms integrally connected with the ends of said cover and with said journals.

2. A plastic bread box or the like comprising a rectangular case having a substantially flat bottom, the sides of the case including arcuate upper forward corners, an access opening in said case between said upper forward corners and having the upper and lower edges thereof parallel with each other, and with the lower edge spaced from the bottom of said case, support means extending upwardly from said bottom integral therewith on each side thereof, an arcuate plastic cover positioned within said opening, and an arm integrally connected with each side of said cover and extending inwardly along its adjacent side of the case and terminating integral means cooperating with integral means on the upper portion of said support means for pivotally connecting the cover to the case, one of said integral means forming said pivotal connection comprising relatively large arcuate bearing surfaces and the other of said integral means comprising relatively large journals received within the bearing surfaces and retained therein against inward axial movement by flanges carried by one of said integral means, said pivotal connection being spaced at a vertical distance from said bottom substantially the same distance as said lower edge of said opening is spaced from said bottom.

3. A plastic bread box or the like comprising a rectangular case having a substantially flat bottom, the sides of the case including arcuate upper forward corners, an access opening in said case between said upper forward corners and having the upper and lower edges thereof parallel with each other, and with the lower edge spaced from the bottom of said case, support means extending upwardly from said bottom integral therewith on each side thereof, an arcuate plastic cover positioned within said opening, and an arm integrally connected with each side of said cover and extending inwardly along its adjacent side of the case and terminating in integral means cooperating with integral means carried by the upper portion of said support means for pivotally connecting the cover to the case, one of said integral means forming said pivotal connection comprising relatively large arcuate bearing surfaces and the other of said integral means comprising relatively large journals received within the bearing surfaces, said journals and bearing surfaces being retained against relative axial displacement by flanges carried by one of said integral means, said pivotal connection being spaced at a vertical distance from said bottom substantially the same distance as said lower edge of said opening is spaced from said bottom.

LOUIS H. BARNETT. HARRIS ERIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,605 Lee Aug. 1, 1876 185,258 Preater Dec. 12, 1876 572,217 Rebmann Dec. 1, 1896 968,828 Beckley Aug. 30, 1910 1,138,939 Deardorff May 1'1, 1915 1,285,428 Sheer Nov. 19, 1918 1,800,519 Fredberg Apr. 4, 1931 2,203,960 Hickman June 11, 1940 2,208,158 Hiscock July '16, 1940 2,404,558 Yellin July 23, 1946 2,412,313 Battersby et al. Dec. 10, 1946 2,418,659 Nyden Apr. 8, 1947 2,517,420 Gauvreau Aug. 1, 1950 2,550,998 l-iilliker May 1, 1951 2,603,549 Tessmer et al. July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 595,503 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1947 

